The short answer is no. And neither do natural diamonds. The diamond itself never changes.
What actually happens is much simpler than most people think.
It's Not the Diamond. It's the Dirt.
Over time, your ring collects a thin film from everyday life. Skin oils, lotion, makeup, soap residue, and hard water minerals all build up on and around your stone. This happens gradually, so you might not notice it until one day your ring just looks a little dull.
Here's the part most people don't realise. That film doesn't just sit on the surface of the diamond. It also builds up inside the setting, underneath the stone where you can't easily see it. That hidden layer is often the bigger problem.
A diamond gets its sparkle from light. Light enters the stone, bounces around inside it, and reflects back out. When a film coats the surface and fills the space under the stone, it blocks that light from getting in. Less light in means less sparkle out. The diamond hasn't changed at all. It's just dirty.
Lab Diamonds and Natural Diamonds Are the Same Here
This is worth saying clearly. Lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are chemically and physically identical. They are both carbon, just grown in different places. Neither one loses its sparkle over time. Neither one degrades, fades, or dulls on its own.
If someone tells you lab diamonds cloud over or lose their brilliance, that's not true. What they're describing is a dirty ring, not a defective one.
How to Keep Your Ring Sparkling
Clean your ring once a fortnight and it will look exactly the same as the day you bought it.
The easiest method is warm water and a small drop of dish soap. Let the ring soak for a few minutes, then use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub around the stone and underneath the setting. Rinse it well and dry it with a soft cloth.
That's it. No special products needed.
A few habits that help between cleans. Take your ring off when applying lotion or sunscreen. Remove it before washing dishes or using cleaning products. These small things slow down the buildup and mean less work each time you clean.
Once a year it's worth having a jeweller check the setting and give it a proper professional clean. They can get into spots a toothbrush can't reach and make sure the prongs are still holding the stone securely.
The Bottom Line
Your diamond will sparkle for your entire life and beyond. The only thing standing between you and that sparkle is a fortnightly clean. Keep up with it and your ring will look just as brilliant in thirty years as it does today.
View our full collection of beautiful lab-grown diamond engagement rings that are sure to get you excited!
Thanks for reading, Jared and Brie